This is a pieced sashing that looks a little challenging–but don’t be alarmed! I’ve broken it down enough to be easier than it appears.

That being said, I would encourage you to begin by making one at a time and then measuring the sashing to be sure it is exactly the same size. You may have to make a slight adjustment depending on the accuracy of your 1/4″ seams as well as the nature of the fabric you are using. I’m using Kona cotton and I found that when I sprayed starch on the final sashing block and pressed it, it became a little bit longer–which ended up being the exact size that I needed.

Decide which color you want to be your large diamonds and which you want to be your small diamonds. My small diamonds will be the same color as the cornerstones we will make in the next step.

Begin by cutting the following pieces:

Neutral

Eleven strips 3 3/4″ x WOF

Four strips 2 1/4″ x WOF

Four strips 4 1/2″ x WOF

Subcut into thirty-one (31) 4 1/2″ squares

Cut squares in half diagonally.

Four strips 4 1/2″ x WOF

Do not subcut these yet.

Color 1 (small diamonds)

Four strips 1 15/16″ x WOF

Color 2 (large diamonds)

Five strips 2 5/8″ x WOF

Using Three of the 1 15/16″ x WOF (color 1) strips and six of the 3 3/4″ x WOF strips and make three strip sets with the color strip in the center. Press toward the center fabric.

Make four strip sets using four of the (color 2) 2 5/8″ x WOF strips, four of the 2 1/4″ neutral strips and four of the 3 3/4″ neutral strips. Press toward the center fabric.

You will have one 3 3/4″ x WOF neutral strip, and one of each of the color strips (one 1 15/16″ x WOF and one 2 5/8″ x WOF)

Cut the remaining neutral strip in four approximately equal pieces. Cut each of the color strips approximately the same length. Use these pieces to make two mini strip sets to match the previous strip sets. (The 2 5/8″ strip set will have a bigger piece of neutral on one side, but it will eventually be cut off.)

Cut across the strip sets to make the individual pieces. Cut each of the 2 5/8″ strip sets into fifteen 2 5/8″ pieces. Cut two more pieces from the mini strip set.

Cut each of the 1 15/16″ strip sets into twenty 1 15/16″ pieces. Cut two more pieces from the mini strip set.

In total you should have 62 of each of these pieces.

Sew one of each of the above pieces to each other matching seams as shown below. Make 62 of these.

Using one of the 4 1/2″ uncut strips, cut one end off at a 45 degree angle as shown below.

Cut ONE 3 1/8″ angled piece from this strip. (Remember we are making just one sashing unit until we know it is the correct size.)

We now need to find the center of this piece. Here is my method.

Cut one strip of freezer paper with your rotary cutter and ruler. Cut it approximately 1 1/2″ wide, but be sure it is absolutely straight. Press this piece to your ironing board.

Lay one of the shorter edges directly next to the freezer paper.

Now fold over so the other end is also directly next to the freezer paper.

Here is a picture with a different fabric that makes it easier to see.

Using your favorite disappearing marker draw a short line across the fold and 1/4″ away from the edge of the fabric.

I also like to slightly mark the fold line inside the seam allowance.

Lay out your pieces as shown below.

Each of the corners of the small diamonds will match the mark I just made.

Trim this unit to 4 1/2″ wide with the intersections along the 2 1/4″ mark on your ruler.

Here is a close up.

Your piece should look like this.

Sew two of the neutral triangle pieces on each end as shown.

You can eyeball the placement of the triangle. You must make sure the triangle goes above the cut edge on the side above the larger diamond. The other side will be cut off so it doesn’t need to be even.

Now measure the blocks that you have already made over the past couple of months.

Measure from the outer tips of both of the large diamonds. This should be 1/2″ less than the size of your blocks. If it isn’t, cut your next diagonal piece a little smaller or a little larger.

Trim both ends so both ends extend 1/4″ away from the tip of the large diamond. Use the 45 degree marking for accuracy.

Trim the sides of the added triangles so they are even with the rest of the block.

Finally measure the block again to be sure it is 4 1/2″ x the width of your blocks. (Mine are 14 1/2″)

If your measurement is correct cut the remaining diagonal pieces and make 30 more of these units. You will need 31 sashing pieces.

Of all of these blocks, this one will be the most challenging. There are no shortcuts in doing this block. My best advice is to be very careful with accuracy.

Cut

Neutral

Two 1 ½” x 14 ½” rectangles

Two 1 ½” x 12 ½” rectangles

Three 4 7/8” x 4 7/8” squares

Ten 2 7/8” x 2 7/8” squares

Color 1

One 4 7/8” x 4 7/8” square

Four 2 7/8” x 2 7/8” squares

Color 2

Two 2 7/8” x 2 7/8” squares

One 5 3/16” x 5 3/16” square

With the exception of the 1 ½” rectangles and the 5 3/16” square, every piece needs to be cut diagonally into equal triangles. The 5 3/16” square needs to be cut diagonally in both directions to create four equal triangles.

Use two of the neutral triangles cut from the 4 7/8″ squares and the two color 1 triangles cut from the 4 7/8″ square and arrange them as shown below. Press the seams to the darker fabric.

Make the second seam, matching the previous seams and your block will look like this. This is the center unit.

This gives you a reference for placing on the adjoining triangle. You can see that the seam line matches the slanted edge of the triangle behind it. Sew this seam and press toward the darker fabric.

Add another neutral triangle to the other side of the color 2 triangle, making the unit shown below. Press and trim so the intersection is right at 1/4″ and one of the seams is aligned with the 45 degree mark on your ruler. This is the first strip unit. You need to make four (4) of these units.

To accurately place the first strip units on the center unit fold the center unit in half and press to mark the centers of two sides.

Place the intersection of the point of the color 2 triangle within the strip unit to one of the center marks you just created. Sew this seam with a 1/4″ seam allowance and you should sew right through the intersection as shown.

Repeat the process on the remaining sides.

On the picture below I have marked the crease to make it easier to see.

We will now use the four triangles that were cut from the 5 3/16″ square. Begin by pressing each of the triangles in half to mark the centers.

Match the crease with the intersection from the center block as shown below.

Do this on all four sides. Trim to a 9″ square with the intersections as close to the 1/4″ seam line as possible.

Using the remaining 2 7/8″ half square triangle pieces (12 neutral, 8 color one) you need to make the second strip units. These are made using the same method as in the first strip units. Each of these units will have 3 neutral triangles and 2 triangles from color 1. Again, you will need four of these units.

Sew the remaining neutral triangles cut from the 4 7/8″ squares onto the short side of these strip units.

In order to line up the intersections between the strip units and the block I place straight pins in the wrong side of the strip unit exactly on the intersection.

Then those pins go directly into the intersection on the right side of the block. Bring the fabric together with the pin standing straight up and pin the fabrics together on both sides of the pin. Be sure you are pinning on the 1/4″ seam line or your fabrics could still shift.

Most of the time I don’t do much pinning, but this block definitely requires pinning for accuracy.

Now, trim your block to 12 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ making sure you don’t cut too close to your points. No matter how careful I was both of my blocks ended up a little bigger. Fortunately we still have to add the 1 1/2″ strips. Just trim 1/4″ away from your points and add the 1 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ strips to the two opposite sides. Now trim those two pieces so the block is 12 1/2″ x 14 1/2″. Then add the 1 1/2″ x 14 1/2″ pieces and trim down to a 14 1/2″ square. We have used the strips to compensate for us and it won’t be noticed at all.

In order to cut the 3 5/16″ square position edge of the fabric half way between the 3 1/4″ and 3 3/8″ marks on the ruler.

With the 3″ squares make half square triangle units using one of the previous methods. Cut them apart between the two seams and press toward the dark fabric. Trim all four units into 2 1/2″ squares, using the 45 degree line on your ruler.

Add two of the triangles cut from the 2 7/8″ squares to either side of the half square triangle unit as shown below.

Press and trim so one edge lies along the 45 degree line and the tip of the triangle is on the 3 1/2″ line.

Place this unit on top of the triangle cut from the 4 7/8″ square and carefully sew with a 1/4″ seam allowance.

If unit you made isn’t perfect you can lay it on top of the 4 7/8″ triangle and use that for the guide. You can see the triangle on the left isn’t exactly right. I made sure all the points matched and then used the brown triangle as my guide for my 1/4″ seam allowance.

Make four units using the 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ pieces as shown below.

For the center block lay the long edge of two of the triangles cut from the 2 7/8″ squares on either side of the 3 5/16″ neutral square. Stitch on a 1/4″ seam allowance.

Take the Neutral 4 1/2″ square and the Color 2 4 1/2″ square and lay one on top of the other. Lay your ruler from corner to corner and cut in half diagonally. Without moving the fabric pieces, cut between the other two corners to make 4 smaller triangles of each fabric.

Lay one neutral and one color 1 triangle next to each other as shown below.

Sew them together on two of the short edges to make a larger triangle. Do the same with the remaining triangle pieces. You should have four pieces that look like the picture below.

Cut the 4″ squares in half diagonally once. Center the pieced triangle on one of the neutral triangles and stitch together. Trim to make 3 1/2″ squares with the intersection meeting at the 1 3/4″ mark in both directions.

Sew the four blocks together as shown to make a pinwheel block.

Mark all eight of the 3 1/2″ Color 2 squares from corner to corner.

As with the Block 2 you will make four Flying Geese blocks by laying the 3 1/2″ square at the end of the 3 1/2″ x 6 1/2″ rectangle and stitch just outside of the drawn line. You should be able to see the distance on this picture.

Cut the excess away.

And press.

Repeat this on the other side of the rectangle. Make four Flying Geese units and lay all the units out as shown below.

Stitch together and press well.

Add the 1 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ pieces to two opposite sides. Then add the 1 1/2″ x 14 1/2″ pieces to the other sides to finish the block.

For this block you will need to cut the following pieces for each block:

Neutral:

(6) 3″ x 3″ squares

(8) 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares

(4) 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ rectangles

(2) 1 1/2″ x 12 1/2″ rectangles*

(2) 1 1/2″ x 14 1/2″ rectangles*

*I cut a piece of neutral 12 1/2″ x WOF and also 14 1/2″ x WOF. For each block I cut the 1 1/2″ pieces from these strips.

Color 1:

(6) 3″ x 3″ squares

(1) 4 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ squares

Color 2:

(4) 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″ squares

(4) 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ rectangles

We are going to make HST (half square triangle) units again. However, this time I’m not going to draw the pencil line through the center. With smaller pieces you can just use a piece of painters’ tape instead. Place a ruler flat against your quarter inch foot and lay a piece of tape along the line formed by the ruler in front of the foot. This will be your guide.

Using the 3″ squares of the neutral and color 1, place one of each square together. Place one of the corners at the edge of the quarter inch foot and make a seam toward the opposite corner. Guide the pieces through the machine keeping the front corner on the edge of the tape as shown below. This will make your first seam.

Do the same thing on for the 2nd seam. Cut the piece into two between the two seams. Press toward the darker fabric.

Trim each unit to 2 1/2″ x 2 1/2″.

Lay out three of the HST units with one of the 2 1/2″ squares from color 2 as shown below.

Sew the units together as shown below. You will make 4 of these.

For the flying geese units you will need to draw the pencil line from corner to corner on the 2 1/2″ neutral squares.

Lay one of the 2 1/2″ marked neutral squares at one end of a 2 1/2″ x 4 1/2″ color 2 rectangles.

Typically when you make the flying geese unit using this method you will come up with a unit that is a little smaller than needed. However, this little tip will give you the correct size unit. Do NOT stitch directly on the drawn line. Stitch about 2-3 threads to the outside of the line. My needle barely touches the line on one side, but it is not directly on the line.

Cut off the excess.

Press as shown below

Repeat on the opposite side.

Don’t forget to trim this unit to 2 1/2″ by 4 1/2″ being careful that the “v” intersection is right at 1/4″.